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We are proud to introduce a new exciting disabled access solution. SwingOn is a genuine alternative to conventional disability ramps, outside stairlifts and inclined platform lifts. It is an innovative design that allows easy disabled access up to a maximum height of 500mm. SwingOn has the advantage against conventional disability ramps and inclined platform lifts. This is because it takes up a fraction of the space of ramps and platform lifts. UK Building Regulations state a disability ramp has to have a maximum gradient of 1 in 12 for a total rise of 166mm rising to a maximum gradient of 1 in 20 for a total rise of 500mm. This means that for a 500mm rise from the pavement to the top of the steps you will have to build a ramp that is 10 metres long. This coupled with the ramp's 1.5 metres width means the total area is at least 15m2. This can be inviable and impractical therefore the best option is SwingOn.

SwingOn features a telescopic platform that can measure between 830mm - 1400mm in length and 700mm in width. This means it can accommodate a variety of different wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Its safe working load is rated at 300kg which means it can lift even the heaviest of electric scooters.

SwingOn is easy to install, taking only 1-2 to fit, with a simple plug and play connector so it can be used straightaway. It is easy to use and even easier to pack away, the compact design allows for it to be stored against a wall neatly. It comes in a number of colours so it can seemingly blend into its surroundings. SwingOn is made to last! All components are tested to European Standards to resist both hot and cold temperatures as well as high humidity levels.

Maximising Space

Restaurants along with hotels and shops can find it difficult to maximise space when it comes to disabled access. They sometimes see disabled access as something they have to have rather than maximising its potential and the potential of the restaurant. Disabled access for many restaurants takes the form of a ramp. A disability ramp can be a good idea and can be cost effective. However ramps take up potential cover space and when profits are so tight like they are in the restaurant industry then 3 or 4 tables can make all the difference. Alternatively a lift can answer the disabled access question and open up the space for potential covers. The word 'lift' usually brings to mind a large passenger lift that is in a stainless steel structure with automatic steel sliding doors. However a lift can be any platform that moves between two floor levels. Finding the right disabled access lift when every square foot is vital to boosting sales can be tricky - restaurant owners are looking for lifts that have as little impact as possible but provide the necessary disabled access so that their restaurant is open to all. We provide a wide range of step lifts that cover short rises. In addition we provide lifts for restaurants that have a second floor or mezzanine - this can open up previously inaccessible covers for wheelchair users and really boost a restaurant's profits.

Are Lifts Affordable?

Most restaurant owners might initially be put off having a lift in their restaurant due to the cost compared with a conventional ramp. However disabled access lifts for restaurants are more affordable than you think. In comparison, for a restaurant with a floor level difference of 500mm from the street to the entrance a ramp's area will take up at least 165ft2. This space is wasted covers that have the potential to boost the restaurant's profits. We understand that for many owners and managers there is a tradeoff between the initial cost of installing a lift and the additional covers it opens up. That's why we see having a disabled access lift in a restaurant as an investment. It not only gives you back the space the ramp was taking up but for those restaurants that didn't previously have disabled access it opens up the restaurant to a large pool of new customers.

Functionality

Functionality is at the core of disabled access equipment whether it’s a lift, a hoist or even a ramp. We believe that any disabled access equipment has to follow 3 basic principles: firstly, it has to be easy to use, giving as much independence to the user as possible, secondly, it has to be relatively quick to use and most importantly it has to be completely safe. These 3 principles come together to form the functional aspect of any disabled access equipment. With advancements in technology the majority of disabled access lifts now meet these principles but sometimes they are not tested in situ regularly. For example there are some situations where a disabled access lift is only used a handful of times each year. However when looking for the right lift for a restaurant, you need a lift that can stand up to daily use. The best lifts for restaurants need to be robust against the knocks and bangs that are common in a bustling restaurant or bar. We know that even with the most careful use, lifts can be knocked by staff and customers alike. That's why we look for and supply the best lifts on the market so that they're always up to the challenge and therefore last.

Style

In the past disabled access only used to be functional. Now creating a lift that matches the restaurant’s style and interior can be just as important as its functionality and sometimes it can become the priority. Major restaurant chains can undergo refits every 5 to 10 years therefore finding a lift that matches their new style is important. We've seen with some of our projects a shift towards industrial looking restaurants, with untreated metal becoming a more common style as well as bold vivd colours. With this in mind, suppliers and manufacturers are now providing more and more choice with finishes and optional extras. We understand that each project is unique in terms of appearance and all of our products are made to order to bring the client's vision to life. We also love adding intricate details such as mesh panels to our products to make sure they seamlessly blend into the surrounding aesthetics. We're seeing that fashion and style are having a greater effect on the world more today than ever before and even the lift industry is subject to it.

Options

We provide a variety of lifts for restaurants and build the lift around your vision creating a truly unique product. Our lifts vary from outdoor step lifts at a restaurant's entrance to hidden step lifts for an indoor set of stairs to a more traditional enclosed platform lifts to reach a second floor or mezzanine. Finding the right lift for your restaurant can be tricky and that’s why we’re here to help. For advice on your latest project or to get a quotation give us a call on 0800 65 252 65 or email us by clicking here.

To see more of our work within hotels, restaurants and retail click here.

We were approached by BDP, the architecture firm responsible for the £23.75 million redevelopment of the National Army Museum in London. They were looking to fit platform lifts within the museum so visitors would be able to access every part of the museum and make full use of the new services. The refurbishment completely modernised the museum and they wanted a trio of platform lifts that would match the new look of the museum. The locations that they needed to fit platform lifts were from the main reception to the education centre, to the Discover More gallery and for staff from outside the building to access the lower basement entrance.

We designed and installed a Barduva RB150 between the main reception and education centre. This lift is mainly used for groups and school pupils who visit the museum and use the education centre. The education centre is a great tool where large groups can learn about British history from the Civil War up to the present day conflicts. The lift was finished in stainless steel with glass panels to match the newly refurbished modern look of the building and the travel distance was 1.8 metres.

The lift we fitted and installed for access to the Discover More gallery was a LPA, it was also finished in stainless steel and glass to suit the new aesthetics of the building. We chose to install the LPA as the cabin length is 1650mm so allows both a large wheelchair or mobility scoot and carer to easily and safely use the lift. The platform lift travels just 980mm but can hold a load of up to 300kg.

The third lift we designed and installed was for staff access from outside the building to the lower basement floor. We chose to install an Alpine lift finished in 7016 painted steel with a travel distance of 1180mm. The platform lift that the client wanted was a cost effective product that would withstand any adverse weather conditions that could be thrown at it. The lift was fitted with an adjacent lower basement door.

All three lifts were fitted within 2 weeks and were ready for the National Army Museum's Grand Opening in March 2017.

For more information about lifts like the ones above call us on 0800 65 252 65 or email us

We were approached by Como part of the Mace Group as they had recently changed the floor level of the reception of a commercial office building on Chiswell Street in Central London. This meant that the offices that were on the ground floor now had a floor level difference of 970mm. In order for their customers to now visit their offices, the client needed to be able to provide disabled access.

The challenge that we faced was that there was no space to install a conventional platform lift or step lift let alone a ramp and so we decided to install a specialist platform lift. The best way to describe the LP22 is a set of steps that then collapse into a platform lift that can then provide disabled access without taking away the original steps or stirs of a building. They are most commonly used and installed where space is at a premium so another lift or ramp cannot be fitted. These collapsing stairs look exactly like the original set that they replaced as they can be fitted with the exact same materials used.

The steps were finished in matching grey tiles that were used on the rest of the flooring, blending in seamlessly. The lift was fitted and installed in 3 days and provides disabled access without changing the existing steps leading to the offices.

For more information about lifts like the one above call us on 0800 65 252 65 or email us

We know it can be difficult getting around the country via trains regardless of having a disability. Every week there seems to be more cancellations and delays than the week before and we constantly hear about the ongoing disputes between the companies and workers' unions. The continuous strikes mean that we, the public, are left with a very fractured service and we can't get anywhere fast. It recently took me over 3 hours to travel to London, a journey that used to take under 2 hours. To think these journeys are extremely stressful is an understatement. Having a disability can compound this further, it should be easy for a wheelchair user to use every type of public transport but it seems it is becoming more difficult on trains in recent years. There is hope on the horizon with a £250m investment to Midland Metro being announced by Theresa May this morning but then that targets only a small area of the country. The long term project of High Speed 2 is, from the outside, promising but then it'll not start services for over 9 years if it's on time. It is also poses the questions will the brand new trains be compatible with the current stations along those lines.

Expensive Fares

This is not predominantly a factor affecting disabled people however I thought I would mention it as it is an issue that affects everyone. Train fares have risen in recent times to extortionate levels and I've experienced a poorer service as time has gone on. Every week there seems to be a delay or cancellation for some reason or another and it can become very frustrating. If train operators are going to rise ticket prices then I expect an increase in the standard of service however that's not what I've seen, with people getting lower value for money. Disabled people can find it difficult using trains at the best of times but having to use a dodgy ramp to embark and disembark the train makes the experience worse. You'd have thought that with an increase in fares the train operators would invest more in disabled access but it doesn't seem apparent. Across Europe the large French and German operators have invested heavily into disabled access supplying lifts from the train to the platform. Compared with the UK, they've made it far easier for disabled people to use the train network and therefore get around the country. It doesn't seem like there is going to be a massive reduction in fares in the near future so it would be great to see our money being invested more wisely into integral services such as disabled access.

A common sight on British railways

Old Trains

An issue that affects everyone and not just those with a disability is that trains from the 1980s still exist in certain parts of the country. Are these trains that are nearly 40 years old fit for service for the general public let alone wheelchair users? Simple answer - no they're not. The average age of a train on Britain's railways is over 20 years old and with an ever ageing and growing population, can these trains handle the demand? These older trains can be up to half a metre higher than the platform level and so makes disabled access a nightmare. A standard disability ramp in the UK has to have a gradient of between 1:12 to 1:20 - that would mean a 50cm height difference would have to have a 6 metre long ramp. Conventional disabled access ramps like these are cumbersome and difficult to manoeuvre in the short space of time a train stops at a station, in addition many platforms do not have 6 metres of space to work with.

Differing Heights and Trains

It seems strange that trains and platforms would vary in height so much, the apparent reason is due to constant network development with several stations being built over the decades since the Victorian Era. However you'd expect that there would be a standard height of platform or train floor but that doesn't seem to be the case. This is compounded by different train operators having slightly different designs and different types of trains having completely different operating heights. For example in the UK the "standard height" of a platform is 915mm but this can still vary, the Heathrow Express has platforms that measure 1100mm high. High Speed 1 connecting London to the Channel Tunnel has platforms measuring 760mm high and High Speed 2 will either have 550mm or 760mm platforms. These discrepancies are illogical but they exist and so we need to find a way to bridge these gaps. Sometimes these gaps between the train floor height and the platform are not manageable for able bodied people let alone wheelchair users.

This can be a difficult problem to solve for a station manager especially if he has more than one type of train going through his station. He could have different lengths of ramp depending on the train floor height but then he would have to have several different ramps and places to store them as well as the additional cost. Ease of use of should be at the forefront of everyone's minds, how can we make these services better for the customers. A simple but effective method to get around varying train heights is to have a portable train lift, easy to use and can rise up to a 1 metre to meet the train's floor level. Portable disabled access lifts are affordable and can be easily moved into position something station managers can find difficult with cumbersome ramps.

Old Southern Rail Train

Some London Underground platforms are inaccessible to wheelchair users

Time

Trains are a time critical service, a small amount of time lost at one station can impact the onward journey and make a train late at it's terminal stop. It seems like we're stuck in the dark ages when it comes to disabled access for trains, several years behind Europe. With great variation within the distance between the train and the platform, getting the right ramp can be an arduous process and can be very time consuming. It can require 2 or more staff to manoeuvre into position then help the disabled passenger disembark the train. This can take a relatively long period of time and depending on the height of the train, the station manager might have to use different ramps. A simple solution to these problems is the portable disabled access train lift. It can be stored on the platform and then easily wheeled out when needed. As it is an adjustable platform lift it could operate at any height up to 1 metre and only needs one person to wheel it out and use it rather than 2 or more that can be used when positioning a ramp.

The Solution

Disabled access is pretty lacklustre across Britain with ramps the predominantly used solution. However with varying platform sizes across the country and train operators using different carriage designs you would need more than one ramp. Ramps can also be cumbersome and take more than one person to simply position it in place ready for a disabled passenger. A portable train lift can be kept on the platform and simply wheeled out when needed. The lift can cover heights of up to 1 metre above the platform level and can be easily driven up and down to meet the train's floor level. In addition it only takes one person to move it into position then operate it. This frees up time for the other station staff to carry out other tasks therefore makes the station more efficient.

Portable Train Lift

Disabled Access for Trains

Platform Lift for Trains

For more information about our disabled access solutions for the transport sector click here

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Firstly, as a company we are very grateful to visit some beautiful historic and listed buildings that warrant national and international acclaim. We also love working in this fantastic locations and tackling the complicated problems that for the most part centuries old buildings can throw at us. We all know that they can be tricky to deal with whether you're the building's owner, a construction management company or even a lift engineering business like us. In this following article we're going to look at the challenges that can present themselves when working in a historic or listed buildings and how we can overcome them.

Removal or Alteration of a Building

It's all well and good being asked to come to site to measure and provide a quotation for a lift for a historic or listed building. However due to listings even getting a lift into position can prove challenging. Unlike normal buildings where you could simply remove part of a wall or make a small change, do that on a listed building and you'll have hell to pay for it. Sometimes this can be good as it allows us to use our creative side to design and develop a lift that has to overcome this tricky obstacle. We do love working in historic and listed buildings and designing lifts that seamlessly blend into the surrounding aesthetics.

Finding Something Unexpected

These are the issues that can stop your project before it's even got started or put the start date back by several months or even years. In buildings that are several hundreds of years old you should expect to find something of historic importance but it is always a surprise when they appear. The "surprises" can vary from a secretive Jacobean era priest hole that needs to be preserved or even bones of a 11th Century monk. Excavation is a very important part of the initial building process especially when lifts require a pit below the floor level. Churches seem to have the greatest risk of presenting surprises due to the age and the quantity of people being buried in the building or in the grounds. You always have your fingers crossed when you get a phone call from the site management company when you know they've just excavated where the lift is supposedly going.

Sizes and Awkwardness

We've had lifts delivered to tiny areas or put into very small spaces but listed buildings can be another kettle of fish. The simple task of moving the lift from where it was delivered to where it is actually going to be can take hours to navigate tiny passageways. We are usually one of the last trades on site as the builders have laid our structure, the plasterers have already done their job and the decorators are splashing the walls with paint so we are up against a time constraint. This combined with a difficult to navigate site means it can extend lift installation. In order to make it more manageable and easier to move around site we can have our lifts delivered in smaller parts however that can extend the process of installation.

Electrical issues

For the most part publicly owned historic or listed buildings are fairly well covered with modern wiring found around the whole of the building. However in private projects the story can be the polar opposite. I live in a Grade II listed house and know the difficulties of trying to modernise even basic features. A lot of the privately owned listed buildings that we have had a pleasure of working on are from 18th Century or before and sometimes it seems like their wiring is also from these times. The majority of our lifts run off single phase 240V actuators and so are easy to connect to the mains and are energy efficient. However in some listed buildings even this can prove difficult. Every single listed site that we visit is unique and poses its own challenges and part of the fun of the job is tackling these issues and adding more skills to our repertoire.

Matching Aesthetics

Ok so this isn't really issue and we love creating lifts that are "hidden" in plain sight but some designs can be more difficult than others. In the past we've had to use the exact same materials or original suppliers. For example at the National Theatre on London's Southbank we had to have the ceiling anodised bronze, it was done by the same company that anodised the original ceiling in 1976, we even used the same original carpet from 1971 on the lift's floor. For more about that particular project click here. Historic and listed buildings provide us the opportunity to create a very high specification of product which we love doing, being able to put all our skills on show is why we're in this business. To give you an example of what the work we're currently undertaking is that we're retrofitting an 1850s lift into a modern lift, using the same rosewood panelling and even the same Victorian lift curtain. We love creating unique lifts that are tailor made to the highest standards and quality.

For more information about our projects in historic and listed buildings click here and to see photos of our lifts in historic and listed buildings click here

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Before we start, this list is completely objective and we know that our clients and customers get lifts for many different unique reasons. So in no particular order the first reason is...

1. Accessibility

One of the main reasons why someone would look to have a lift installed is due to accessibility - this could be in the form of a wheelchair user or if you've recently had an accident and now find it difficult to walk. A home lift helps you access every part of your home without difficulty. Everyone deserves to have freedom in their own home and a home lift can be a life changing benefit without breaking the bank.

2. Functionality

A lot of home lifts are installed as the client wants to be able to use the lift for other purposes then just moving themselves throughout the house. No one likes lugging heavy goods up and down the stairs, a home lift can make those journeys disappear and you'll be surprised by how many things you can get into even the smallest home lift. Whether you're about to go on holiday and have to carry your suitcases or you've just purchased some furniture, a home lift can be the perfect answer. Gone are those horrible early mornings where you're trying to walk the suitcase down the stairs without marking the walls or putting your back out.

3. Staying in Your Own Home

We don't know what life is ever going to throw at us, however we can always prepare for what could happen. If you have a serious accident it can be a life changing experience and make the 1st floor of your home completely inaccessible. This means you face the following options: you can either remodel your home extensively so now you can live on the ground floor, move out of your home to a new house or install a small home lift that would allow you to access every part of your home again. Home lifts are becoming as affordable as ever and can change your life completely and let you find your freedom again.

4. Futureproof

Futureproof is a buzz word in both the lift industry as well as in the housing market. More and more technological advancements are being brought into the home at an alarming rate. Whether it's your fridge giving you a weather update or ordering your food shop through a speaker we are creating fantastic inventions. We all know that we grow up and get older so in order to help us with life's inevitable difficulties a home lift can be the answer. And if you go to sell the house at any point then the addition of a home lift will definitely make it more attractive potential buyers.

5. Adds Value to Your Property

Every person who has spoken to a home lift salesman has probably heard this line during their sales pitch. We hate to say it but it's true, with an ever-ageing population, most buyers expect to get value for money. In the most affluent areas of the country, home lifts are becoming more and more commonplace. Sellers and homeowners are realising that to make their property stand out and be more attractive to buyers they need the convenience of a home lift. Lifts can act as an investment because they are for the most part inexpensive but can add significant value to your home or even be the key difference in a potential buyer putting in an offer.

6. Statement & Style

Gone are the clunky designs of the past, now we have sleek and attractive lift styles and a whole array of finishes to choose from so a client's lift is truly unique. We've been in the lift industry for over 40 years and have seen a massive increase in the features and luxury styles that can now be installed. Rather than being hid away in a cupboard (we do still do hidden lifts) home lifts are now being made into statement pieces in the home, a glamorous luxury in the hallway or a external glass structure fixed to the building. Being based in East Dorset we see the building styles of Sandbanks, Canford Cliffs and Bournemouth each day. Angular houses with glass being a prominent feature are everywhere and now lifts can make a similar statement.

7. Safety

It might sound a bit strange but lifts really can make your home safer especially for the very young and the elderly. The amount of times we hear of young children or the elderly falling down stairs is continuously rising. With an ever-increasing older population we really need to look into ways to make our homes safer and one of these options is to install a home lift. With advancements in technology and parts becoming standardised, the cost of having a home lift is constantly declining. In addition the size of mechanisms is always becoming smaller so there is no need for a large amount of builders' work.

8. Convenience

It might sound silly but a lot of people look to get a home lift purely for convenience, we see many of our customers who live in converted or refurbished town houses have small home lifts installed. Town houses, particularly those in London can have 4 to 6 floors and so a home lift is the easiest way of getting from floor to floor rather than struggling up a tight staircase.

9. Save Space

Stairs can surprisingly take up a lot of room in your house without you knowing it. It sounds like a strange alternative but a home lift is a perfect as it frees space up on every floor. You can ever have the lift in an external shaft fitted to the outside of your house, saving more space. There are many different options and products available so the size of the lift can be really small - you can even have them in cupboards with your choice of door clad to the lift so it would be hidden in plain sight.

10. Security

A home lift can be used as part of a wider security package. If a home lift is fitted with key switches then the lift can only be operated by those individuals with the right keys. If the lift is the only way of getting from the ground floor to the first floor then it creates a physical barrier so that unwanted individuals cannot reach the first floor and beyond.

For more information about the different types of home lifts that we design and install click here and to see our completed home lift projects click here

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We were approached by a group of clients that wanted to find a way to get from the road to their house some 44 metres up a steep incline. An inclined platform lift would be an easy way to get to their homes as well as transport shopping and other heavy items to and from the houses. The lift would provide access for 3 homes that shared the same access route up the side of a hill in Dartmouth, Devon.

The only viable option for this particular challenge was to install an inclined platform lift however we had never installed anything this long before. Before we started we needed to photograph every step (all 87!) so we could produce a quality drawing for both the clients and the manufacturer. Due to the location’s proximity to the sea, both the lift and the complex supporting structure would have to be made out of the right materials to prevent any rusting or corrosion.

We chose to install a Hiro inclined platform lift, with the lift and the structure built using marine-grade stainless steel so that the system wouldn’t rust or weaken overtime. The lift was installed within 1 week and the clients are very happy.

Location: Devon

Status: Complete

Year Completed: 2016

Inclined Platform Lift Overlooking Dartmouth Harbour

Inclined Platform Lift - Curved

Inclined Platform Lift Stretching Over 44M

For more information about lifts like the one above call us 0800 65 252 65 or email us

We were approached by a private client in the Branksome Park area of Poole who wanted to install a home lift with an external structure attached to the side of his house. The lift would help both him and his wife travelling floor to floor but would also future proof his home. He wanted a modern style to match the newly built house with glass being a prominent feature of his overall idea.

We measured and designed a lift and external structure that would be adjacent to the house with 3 points of entry all on the same side of the lift shaft. We fitted an EP Elfo with cabin dimensions of 1100mm x 830mm which travelled a distance of over 6 metres across 3 floors in its own lift shaft. The steel structure was painted dark grey and was then finished with smoked glass on the 3 external sides. The presence of a majority glass lift structure matched the modern aesthetics of the building and the addition of the smoked effect lends itself to privacy when using the lift. The lift was fitted with 3 triple glazed swing landing doors so that both the house and the lift shaft remained warm with no draughts or loss of heat. To ensure that the lift was warm and comfortable to use even in the winter months or at night we fitted a small heater so that the lift shaft would be a pleasant temperature.

For more information about lifts like the one above call us on 0800 65 252 65 or email us

We were approached by a client who wanted a home lift installed in their timber framed house in Torquay. The client wanted a lift that would sit in the middle of their wooden staircase and would future-proof his house. The client had designed their house in an Art Deco style and so wanted a lift that wouldn't look out of place with this distinctive appearance and would actually add to its design.

We installed an EP Elfo within its own fully glazed structure, the lift total travel was 5.8 metres across 3 floors with a platform size of 1235mm x 1235mm. The client chose a gloss black finish for the structure and automatic swing glass doors to match the house's aesthetics. The flooring of the lift was laid with the same stone tiles as the rest of the house's ground floor so there was seamless transition from landing to lift.